Trap-nest.



G. W. GUTHRIE.

TRAP NEST. APPLlcAlou mab res. l2. 19:;6.

l ,209,699 Patented Des. 26, 1916.

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TRAPN EST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

Application led February 12, 1916. Serial No. 77,881.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. GUTHni-n, a citizen of the United States, residing at Emsworth borough, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trap-Nests, of which the follow- A ing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in trap nests, of the kind used for poultry, and particularly laying hens, for the purpose of keeping an accurate record of the egg product of each individual hen.

Trap nests of variousA kinds have been manufactured and used in which the nest cavity is provided with trap doors of different kinds for the purpose of automatically entrapping the hen until released, and

also in connection with a signal device in tended to be actuated by the weight of the hen, and of the egg, when laid, in connection with a relatively movable portion of the nest itself, as in the prior patent of Schlie, `\lo. 700245.

My invention has in view to provide a nest having an automatically operable entrance closure, an oppositely located door, an extended egg receptacle-of such reduced cross section as to admit the egg only, means actuated by the weight of an egg for operating signal mechanism, means for providing access for removal of the egg, and various other features of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 shows one preferred form o-f the invention, in vertical section, and showing an egg deposited in the receiving receptacle. Fig. 2 is a partial similar view, showing the egg support and contact mechanism in normal open position. Fig. 3 is a face view of the nest in elevation, partly broken away. Fig. 1 is a detail view of the doorlatching and holding device.4 l

The nest cavity 2, which is preferably rectangular in cross section, is inclosed within surrounding walls of any suitable material, as wood, sheet metal, or the like, and is provided with a suitably shaped nest 3, lined with any adaptable soft material, as indicated. Atthe entrance side of the nest I provide an opening 4 adapted to be closed by a door 5 hinged at 6 and provided with any suitable lifting handle 7. It is designed that the door may be set in partly open position, as indicated in Fig. 1, and to be thus held by means of a pivoted supporting latch frame 8, which may be of wire or other suitable material, pivoted to each side portion of the door at 9. rihe latch frame S i's provided across its inner end with a transverse bar 10, the ends 10 of which are adapted to be seated in a holding socket 11, at each inner side of the nest frame, and preferably forming a portion of an inclined flange guide 12. At the upper end of said guide, at each side, are similar sockets 13, into which the rod terminals 10 will seat when the door 5 is closed upon entrance of the fowl, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. At the outer portion of the tilting frame 8 it is provided with a lifting latch 14 of any suitable construction, by which it may be raised out of engagement with either notch 11 or 18, for the purpose of manipulating the door in either opening or closing. A. supplemental socket 15 adapted to engage the rod terminals 10 and hold the door in fully raised position, as indicated in dotted lines, may also be provided, when it is desired to raise and support the door entirely, as for cleaning, etc. The several sockets 11, 13 and 15 are formed by bending the edges of a triangular shaped sheet metal plate, as indicated, to form comparatively narrow flanges eXtending at right angles to the plate, which is secured against each inner opposite side of the nest box.

The nest may be mounted as a wall nest, in which case the side opposite the entrance opening may be entirely closed; or it may be mounted as an individual unit, or in a continuous row of units, with ample space at the other side, in which case, if desired, I provide a supplemental door 16 hinged at 17, capable of being opened or closed, and preferably leaving a light or air clearance space 18 at the upper edge thereof. An en trance platform 19 of any suitable kind may be provided as desired, it being understood that the to-p portion of the nest is covered by any suitable closure, as a board or plate 20.

A reduced circular opening is provided at the central lowest portion of the nest 3, downwardly beyond which extends the egg receptacle 21, of just sutlicient cross section to freely and easily receive the egg as laid, and not sufficiently large to easily admit of the entrance of the foot of the fowl, the cav-- ity also being sufficiently deep to allow the egg to fall well below the top of its entrance. Said cavity is surrounded and formed by any suitable inclosing frame 22, either cylindrical or square in cross section, as preferred, and also having an interior soft lining substance similar to the lining of the nest, as indicated. A door 23 at one side of the cavity framin(T admits of access to the interior for removal of the laid egg, and may be provided with a suitable hasp 24 and lock, as preferred. At the bottom portion of cavity 21 is a resiliently mounted receiving pan 2li, preferably also provided with a soft lining material over its upper face, mounted on a spring arm 25, and adapted to be maintained normally in the upward receiving position indicated in Fig. 2, and to be depressed by the weight of the egg a., as indicated inV Fig. 1.

The pan 24, or resilient arm 25, is provided with a contact terminal 2G adapted to engage and close a circuit through a co-acting contact terminal 27. Each of said terminals 26 and 27 is connected with a conductor 28 and 29 respectively, in circuit with an alarm device 30 and a battery 81, whereby to give a signal at any desired location, upon depression of the pan 24, as will be readily understood. The signal may be utilized in connection with an indicating device showing the number of the particular' nest, or laying house, which may then be visited, the egg removed, and the fowl released. At `the same time note is made of the particular fowl, as by a numbered tag which may be attached to its leg or elsewhere, as is a common practice, thereby facilitating the keeping of the daily record, and enabling the particular crediting of the daily product of a Hock of hens to be individually maintained.

The door 5 is automatic in its operation in that the cross bar 10 is located at a distance above the bottom of the entrance opening a sufficiently low to insure the lifting of` the light aperture 18 may be properly graduated and controlled so as to insure a desirable degree of darknesswithin the nest, the light and air supply being preferably located at the side opposite the entrance, as shown. f

An especial advantage of the door 16, when the nest has clearance at each side, is that. it may be opened for removal of the fowl and for ref-setting of the door 5 to raised position, instead of using the door 5 for removal from the opposite side, as when the device is employed as a wall nest.

j The construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood and appreciated from the foregoing description. rlhe hen having entered the nest and being entrapped, upon laying the egg will arise from her sitting posture to seek exit through the open light space 18, thereby-freeing the egg and allowing it to easily and gently roll or fall into the centrally arranged depressed receiving chamber 21. IThe said chamber is a rigid portion of the main nest construction, and because of its stationary character and location, provides a completely protective receptacle for the egg, avoiding its injury by crushing and completely isolating it from the main nest chamber.

What l claim is:

1. A trap nest of the class described having a main nesting chamber, and an entrance door thereto provided with a transverse adjustable holding arm operable by upward pressure, and having a supplemental lifting terminal, and receiving sockets for said arm on the side walls ofthe nest.

2. A trap nest of the class described having a main nesting chamber, and an entrance door thereto provided with a transverse adjustable holding arm operable by upward pressure, and receiving sockets for each end of said arm adapted to engage the arm at different positions and to positively hold the door either open or closed. v

3. In combination with a nest construction of the type described having an entrance opening, a pivotally mounted closing door,

a supporting frame pivoted to the door having an externally extending 'lifting terminal and an internally extending transverse locking arm, and a plurality of sockets on the side walls of the nest adapted to engage and hold said arm and the door in varying positions.

1. In combination with a nest construetion of the type described having an entrance opening, a pivotally mounted closing door, a supporting frame pivoted to the door having an externally extending transverse lifting terminal and an internally extending locking arm, and sockets on the sides of the nest adapted to engage and hold said arm at ka position above the bottom of the entrance opening adapting the arm to be released by proximating the dimensions of an egg, and 10 upward pressure of a fowl upon entering provided with a. relatively movable bottom the nest. having a depressible supporting spring.

5. In a nest of the class described, a, cham- In testimony whereof I hereunto afx my 5 ber-inclosing casing having an entrance signature in the presence of two witnesses. opening and a, door therefor, and provided GEORGE W. GUTHRIE. at its lower portion with a nest compartment Witnesses: having at its central portion a downwardly W. A. HEOHMAN, extending egg receptacle of reduced area ap- C. M. CLARKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

